Monthly Archives: December 2014

Galatians 1:11-19: St. Paul defends his ministry in his letter to the Galatians, telling them of how his former way of life was changed by a direct revelation from the Lord, and of his actions immediately afterwards.

Matthew 2:13-23: From the Gospel of Matthew we hear the fulfillment of several prophecies concerning the incarnation of our Lord.

Troparion of the Resurrection: Having learned the joyful message of the Resurrection from the angel, the women Disciples cast from them their parental condemnation, and proudly broke the news to the Disciples, saying, Death has been spoiled. Christ God is risen, granting the world Great Mercy.

Troparion of the Nativity: Thy Nativity, O Christ our God, hath given rise to the light of knowledge in the world; for they that worshiped the stars did learn therefrom to worship thee, O Sun of justice, and to know that from the east of the Highest thou didst come; O Lord, glory to thee.

Troparion of the Sunday after Nativity: Proclaim, O Joseph, to David, the grandparent of God, the amazing wonders; for thou hast seen a Virgin great with child; for with the shepherds thou didst give glory, with the Magi thou didst worship, and by the angel it was revealed to thee. Wherefore, plead thou with Christ God to save our souls.

Troparion of the Chains of St. Peter: O Holy Apostle, Peter, thou dost preside over the Apostles by the precious chains which thou didst bear. We venerate them with faith and beseech thee that by thine intercessions we be granted the great mercy.

Kontakion of Nativity: Today the Virgin giveth birth to the Transcendent in essence; the earth offereth a cave to the unapproachable One; the angels with the shepherds glorify him; and the Magi with the star travel on their way; for a new child hath been born for our sakes, God before the ages.

CALENDAR

Sunday, December 28 (Sunday after the Nativity)

8:50 a.m. — Orthros

9:00 a.m. — Christian Education

10:00 a.m. — Divine Liturgy

Monday, December 29

Office Closed — Father John’s Day Off

Tuesday, December 30

6:00 a.m. — Daily Orthros

Wednesday, December 31

5:30 p.m. — Great Vespers with Litia and Artoklasia

[PLEASE NOTE CHANGE IN TIME]

Thursday, January 1 (Circumcision of the Lord; Feast of St. Basil the Great)

Friday, January 2

Saturday, January 3

5:45 p.m. — Ninth Hour followed by Great Vespers

Sunday, January 4 (Sunday before Theophany)

8:50 a.m. — Orthros

9:00 a.m. — Christian Education

10:00 a.m. — Divine Liturgy

5:00 p.m. — Young Adults

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

Eucharist Bread …was offered by the Morrises for the Feast of the Nativity this past Wednesday evening and by the Joneses for the Divine Liturgy today.

(Feast of the Circumcision of our Lord and the Feastday of St. Basil the Great)

January 4 Meadows Algood/Yeatts/Lasseter

January 5 (Mon pm) Davis Nikki Lasseter/Brittany Salisbury

(Feast of Theophany)

January 11 D. Root R. Root/Abraham/Habeeb

January 15 (Thurs pm) Abraham Anastasia Jones

(Feast of the Chains of St. Peter)

January 18 Karam Schelver/Lavric/Turner

January 25 Brock Henderson/Baker/Lockhart

Schedule for Epistle Readers – Page numbers refer to the Apostolos (book of the Epistles) located on the front pew. Please be sure to use this book when you read.

ReaderReadingPage#

December 28 David Turner Gal. 1:11-19 188

January 4 Tom Willingham II Tim. 4:5-8 354

January 5 (Mon pm) Walt Wood Titus 2:11-14; 3:4-7 361

January 11 Sh. Charlotte Algood Heb. 13:7-16 365

January 15 (Thurs pm) Kh. Sharon Meadows Acts 12:1-11 50-51

January 18 Warren Strain Heb. 13:7-16 365

January 25 Mildred Morris Heb. 7:26-8:2 334

Please be reminded of the following:

Be very careful with the Blessed Bread when you take it after communion. Because this bread has been blessed, we should take care not to let crumbs fall on the floor. Parents, especially, please help your children to choose a small piece and treat it carefully.

Also, at the end of the liturgy, maintain a prayerful disposition during the veneration of the cross as the prayers of thanksgiving after communion are still underway. Please exchange your greetings with each other in the Fellowship Hall during Coffee Hour.

Continue to pray for Metropolitan Paul (who is also the brother of our Patriarch) and the Syriac Archbishop John of Aleppo who were abducted while on a humanitarian mission in Syria.

Walt and Charlotte Wood and their family; Tom and Jennifer Skirtech and their family; Tom and Kathy Willingham; Athena and Anthony Zouboukos and their family.

Please be reminded that the Sacristy/Vestry which is adjacent to and behind the altar in our church is considered by the Orthodox Church to be part of the Sanctuary (Altar area) and should not be entered without the blessing of the priest for a specific purpose. If you need to speak with a member of the clergy while they are in the Sanctuary, please ask them to come to you in the nave.

* The Men of the parish meet for lunch and fellowship on the first Thursday of the month.

* The Ladies of St. Peter will meet at 10:00 a.m. on the second Saturday of each month to pray the Akathist to the Mother of God, Nurturer of Children. Those who are able will go out for lunch and fellowship afterwards.

* This year we will celebrate Great Vespers with Litia and Artoklasia for the Feast of the Circumcision of the Lord and the Feast of St. Basil the Great on Wednesday evening, December 31st, beginning at 5:30 p.m. [Please note change in time.]

* On Monday, January 5th we will celebrate the Feast of Theophany with Royal Hours, beginning at 6:00 a.m. and Orthros followed by Divine Liturgy, beginning at 6:00 p.m.

* Dr. Christopher Veniamin, Professor of Patristics at St. Tikhon Seminary will be speaking at St. Peter’s February 1-4, 2015.

Young Adults Study Group: The Young Adults agreed to begin meeting twice a month. One of these meetings will feature a teaching by Fr. John on various aspects of the Orthodox Christian faith. Topics will include education, ethics and parenting children. The next meetings will be Sunday, January 4th and 25th.

Dr. Christopher Veniamin, Professor of Patristics at St. Tikhon Seminary in South Canaan, Pennsylvania, will visit St. Peter’s February 1-4, 2015. He will speak at our church on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings at 7:00 p.m. His topic will be “The Orthodox Understanding of Salvation.” We are priviledged to have a man of Dr. Veniamin’s stature with us. This promises to be a most edifying and instructive time for our church. Please put these dates on your calendar and plan to be here.

Parents, please supervise your children with food in the Fellowship Hall. We are getting stains on the new carpet (and also the chairs in the nave).

Fasting Discipline for December/January

From December 25th through January 4th there is no abstinence of any sort and all types of food are permitted. The forefeast of Theophany (January 5th) is observed as a strict fast day (no meat, dairy, eggs, fish, wine or oil). The traditional fasting is observed on the remaining Wednesdays and Fridays of the month.

Major Commemorations for January

January 1 Circumcision of our Lord

Commemoration of St. Basil the Great

January 6 Theophany

January 7 Synaxis of the Forerunner

January11 Theodosios the Head of Monasteries

January 18 Athanasius and Cyril of Alexandria

January 20 Euthymios the Great

January 25 Gregory the Theologian

January 27 John Chrysostom

January 31 Cyros and John the Unmercenary Healers

Lower Mississippi Valley Teen Retreat: The Teen Retreat will be February 13-15, 2015 at Roosevelt State Park. The speaker for the retreat will be Heiromonk Benedict (Josuah Armitage). His topic will be “Dealing with Doubts about God.” We are very excited to have Fr. Benedict come to address this important topic with our teens! Be sure to mark your calendars now.

Happy Birthdays in December/January:

December 28 — Sheryl Chamblee

January 1 — Dn. Richard Root

January 5 — Sarah Anne Milnor

January 10 — Georgia Buchanan

January 11 — Nicholas Henderson

January 12 — Cheryl Pigott

January 13 — Nader Dabit

January 19 — Saliba (Sam) Dabit

January 20 — Alfred Katool

January 22 — Tatiana Lavric

January 24 — Oliver Yeatts

January 26 — Jay Davis

January 29 — Michelle Pigott

January 30 — Chris Dansereau

Happy Anniversaries in January:

January 10 — Bob and Georgia Buchanan (#28!)

January 17 — Chris and Rebecca Dansereau (#6!)

January 19 — Ramzi and Jean Kafoury (#12!)

Suggestions on use of the Cry Room:

— Please remember you’re in liturgy when you’re in the cry room.

— Its main purpose should be a place for parents to take their children if they’re being disruptive during liturgy, staying for 5-10 minutes (or until the child is calmed down) and then returning to liturgy.

— It should not be used as a main sitting area during the liturgy.

— Children should not be eating snacks or watching electronic devices while in the cry room.

Thermostats in the Fellowship Hall: There are two thermostats in the Fellowship Hall—one in the main room to control the air in the main room, and a second one in the Nursery room that controls the air in all four of the Sunday School rooms. Please be sure when you leave the building that both thermostats are set to 80 degrees in warm weather or 60 degrees in cold weather.

Quotable: “The principal thing is to stand with the mind in the heart before God, and to go on standing before Him unceasingly day and night, until the end of life.”

Hebrews 11:9-10, 17-23, 32-40: Reading from Hebrews we hear the Apostle tell us of the faith of Abra­ham and other saints of ancient times who endured hardships and death and yet still did great things because of their faith.

Matthew 1:1-25: In the Gospel we hear the genealogy of Jesus Christ, and of how Joseph was visited by an angel of God who told him of the child that Mary bore in her womb.

Troparion of the Resurrection: Let the heavens rejoice and the earth be glad; for the Lord hath done a mighty act with his own arm. He hath trampled down death and become the First-born from the dead. He hath delivered us from the depths of hades, granting the world the Great Mercy.

Troparion of the Forefeast: Be thou ready, Bethlehem, Eden hath opened unto all. Ephratha, prepare thyself, for now, behold, the Tree of life hath blossomed forth in the cave of the holy Virgin. Her womb hath proved a true spiritual Paradise, wherein the divine and saving Tree is found, and as we eat thereof we shall all live, and shall not die as did Adam. Verily, Christ shall be born, raising the likeness that fell of old.

Troparion of the Fathers: Great are the accomplishments of faith; for the three holy youths rejoiced in the fountain of flames as though at waters of rest. And the Prophet Daniel appeared a shepherd to the lions as though they were sheep. Wherefore, by their pleadings, O Christ God, have mercy upon us.

Troparion of the Chains of St. Peter: O Holy Apostle, Peter, thou dost preside over the Apostles by the precious chains which thou didst bear. We venerate them with faith and beseech thee that by thine intercessions we be granted the great mercy.

Kontakion Preparatory for Nativity: Today the Virgin comes unto the cave to give birth in an ineffable manner to the Word before the ages. Rejoice, therefore, O universe, when you hear, and glorify with the angels and the shepherds him who shall appear by his own will as a new babe, being God before the ages.

CALENDAR

Sunday, December 21 (Sunday before the Nativity of our Lord)

8:50 a.m. — Orthros

9:00 a.m. — Christian Education

10:00 a.m. — Divine Liturgy

5:00 p.m. — Young Adults

Monday, December 22

Office Closed — Father John’s Day Off

Tuesday, December 23

6:00 a.m. — Daily Orthros

Wednesday, December 24

7:00 a.m. — Royal Hours

10:00 p.m. — Orthros followed by Divine Liturgy

Thursday, December 25 (The Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ)

Friday, December 26 (Synaxis of the Theotokos)

Saturday, December 27 (Protomartyr Stephen)

5:45 p.m. — Ninth Hour followed by Great Vespers

Sunday, December 28 (Sunday after the Nativity)

8:50 a.m. — Orthros

9:00 a.m. — Christian Education

10:00 a.m. — Divine Liturgy

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

Eucharist Bread …was offered by the Schelvers for the Divine Liturgy today.

(Feast of the Circumcision of our Lord and the Feastday of St. Basil the Great)

January 4 Meadows Algood/Yeatts/Lasseter

January 5 (Mon pm) Davis Nikki Lasseter/Brittany Salisbury

(Feast of Theophany)

January 11 D. Root R. Root/Abraham/Habeeb

January 15 (Thurs pm) Abraham Anastasia Jones

(Feast of the Chains of St. Peter)

January 18 Karam Schelver/Lavric/Turner

January 25 Brock Henderson/Baker/Lockhart

Schedule for Epistle Readers – Page numbers refer to the Apostolos (book of the Epistles) located on the front pew. Please be sure to use this book when you read.

ReaderReadingPage#

December 21 Kh. Be’Be’ Schelver Heb. 11:9-10, 17-23, 32-40 348

December 24 (Wed pm) Tom Skirtech Gal. 4:4-7 351

December 28 David Turner Gal. 1:11-19 188

January 4 Tom Willingham II Tim. 4:5-8 354

January 5 (Mon pm) Walt Wood Titus 2:11-14; 3:4-7 361

January 11 Sh. Charlotte Algood Heb. 13:7-16 365

January 15 (Thurs pm) Kh. Sharon Meadows Acts 12:1-11 50-51

January 18 Warren Strain Heb. 13:7-16 365

January 25 Mildred Morris Heb. 7:26-8:2 334

Please be reminded of the following:

Be very careful with the Blessed Bread when you take it after communion. Because this bread has been blessed, we should take care not to let crumbs fall on the floor. Parents, especially, please help your children to choose a small piece and treat it carefully.

Also, at the end of the liturgy, maintain a prayerful disposition during the veneration of the cross as the prayers of thanksgiving after communion are still underway. Please exchange your greetings with each other in the Fellowship Hall during Coffee Hour.

Continue to pray for Metropolitan Paul (who is also the brother of our Patriarch) and the Syriac Archbishop John of Aleppo who were abducted while on a humanitarian mission in Syria.

Walt and Charlotte Wood and their family; Tom and Jennifer Skirtech and their family; Tom and Kathy Willingham; Athena and Anthony Zouboukos and their family.

Please be reminded that the Sacristy/Vestry which is adjacent to and behind the altar in our church is considered by the Orthodox Church to be part of the Sanctuary (Altar area) and should not be entered without the blessing of the priest for a specific purpose. If you need to speak with a member of the clergy while they are in the Sanctuary, please ask them to come to you in the nave.

* The Men of the parish meet for lunch and fellowship on the first Thursday of the month.

* The Ladies of St. Peter will meet at 10:00 a.m. on the second Saturday of each month to pray the Akathist to the Mother of God, Nurturer of Children. Those who are able will go out for lunch and fellowship afterwards.

* The Feast of the Nativity of our Lord will be celebrated with Royal Hours on Wednesday, December 24th, beginning at 7:00 a.m. Orthros and Divine Liturgy will be celebrated that night, beginning at 10:00 p.m.

* This year we will celebrate Great Vespers with Litia and Artoklasia for the Feast of the Circumcision of the Lord and the Feast of St. Basil the Great on Wednesday evening, December 31st, beginning at 5:30 p.m. [Please note change in time.]

* On Monday, January 5th we will celebrate the Feast of Theophany with Royal Hours, beginning at 6:00 a.m. and Orthros followed by Divine Liturgy, beginning at 6:00 p.m.

* Dr. Christopher Veniamin, Professor of Patristics at St. Tikhon Seminary will be speaking at St. Peter’s February 1-4, 2015.

Young Adults Study Group: The Young Adults agreed to begin meeting twice a month. One of these meetings will feature a teaching by Fr. John on various aspects of the Orthodox Christian faith. Topics will include education, ethics and parenting children. The next meetings will be Sunday, December 21st and January 4th and 25th.

Dr. Christopher Veniamin, Professor of Patristics at St. Tikhon Seminary in South Canaan, Pennsylvania, will visit St. Peter’s February 1-4, 2015. He will speak at our church on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings at 7:00 p.m. His topic will be “The Orthodox Understanding of Salvation.” We are priviledged to have a man of Dr. Veniamin’s stature with us. This promises to be a most edifying and instructive time for our church. Please put these dates on your calendar and plan to be here.

Fasting Discipline for December

Beginning November 15th, the first day of the Nativity Fast, the traditional fasting (no meat, dairy, eggs, fish, wine or oil) is observed each day of the week. Note, however, through December 19th there is a katlysis on Tuesdays and Thursdays when wine and oil are permitted, and on Saturdays and Sundays when fish, wine and oil are permitted. There is no fasting from December 25th through January 4th.

Major Commemorations for December

December 25 Nativity of our Lord

December 26 Synaxis of the Theotokos

December 27 Protomartyr Stephen

Lower Mississippi Valley Teen Retreat: The Teen Retreat will be February 13-15, 2015 at Roosevelt State Park. The speaker for the retreat will be Heiromonk Benedict (Josuah Armitage). His topic will be “Dealing with Doubts about God.” We are very excited to have Fr. Benedict come to address this important topic with our teens! Be sure to mark your calendars now.

Parents, please supervise your children with food in the Fellowship Hall. We are getting stains on the new carpet (and also the chairs in the nave).

Happy Birthdays in December:

December 1 — Christina Katool

December 3 — Stephanie Baker

— Athena Zouboukos

December 4 — Brenda Baker

December 8 — Ben Brock

— Sam Habeeb

— Michael Surratt

December 11 — Sh. Charlotte Algood

December 12 — Jenna Skirtech

December 13 — Carrie Henderson

December 20 — Steve Chamblee

December 21 — Caroline Halley

December 27 — Ben Skirtech

— Warren Strain

— Nicholas Zouboukos (#15!)

— Eli Milnor (#2!)

December 28 — Sheryl Chamblee

Happy Anniversaries in December:

December 21 — Fr. John and Kh. Janet Henderson (#40!)

Suggestions on use of the Cry Room:

— Please remember you’re in liturgy when you’re in the cry room.

— Its main purpose should be a place for parents to take their children if they’re being disruptive during liturgy, staying for 5-10 minutes (or until the child is calmed down) and then returning to liturgy.

— It should not be used as a main sitting area during the liturgy.

— Children should not be eating snacks or watching electronic devices while in the cry room.

Thermostats in the Fellowship Hall: There are two thermostats in the Fellowship Hall—one in the main room to control the air in the main room, and a second one in the Nursery room that controls the air in all four of the Sunday School rooms. Please be sure when you leave the building that both thermostats are set to 80 degrees in warm weather or 60 degrees in cold weather.

Quotable: “Every prayer must come from the heart, and any other prayer is no prayer at all. Prayer-book prayers, your own prayers, and very short prayers, all must issue forth from the heart to God, seen before you. And still more must this be so with the Jesus Prayer.”

St. Theophan the Recluse

from The Art of Prayer compiled by Igumen Chariton of Valamo

Worship: Sunday, December 28, 2014 (Sunday after the Nativity of our Lord)

Colossians 3:4-11: As we read in Colossians, we see St Paul encouraging the Church to practice the virtues of compassion, kindness, and humility. He reminds us that love is the bond which holds us together and calls us to let the peace of Christ to rule us.

Luke 14:16-24: In the parable of the man who gave a dinner we see that not all who are called to dine will come and that the consequences of refusing the invitation are great.

Troparion of the Resurrection: When thou, O immortal Life, didst humble thyself unto death, then didst thou destroy death by the brightness of thy Godhead; and when thou didst raise the bowels of the earth, then all the heavenly powers exclaimed, O Christ, thou art the Giver of life! Glory to thee, O our God!

Troparion of the Forefathers: Thou hast justified by faith the ancient forefathers and through them thou hast gone before and betrothed unto thyself the Church of the Gentiles. Let the saints, therefore, take pride in glory; for from their seed sprouted forth a noble fruit, and she it was who gavest birth to thee without seed. Wherefore, by their pleadings, O Christ God, save our souls.

Troparion of the Chains of St. Peter: O Holy Apostle, Peter, thou dost preside over the Apostles by the precious chains which thou didst bear. We venerate them with faith and beseech thee that by thine intercessions we be granted the great mercy.

Kontakion Preparatory for Nativity: Today the Virgin comes unto the cave to give birth in an ineffable manner to the Word before the ages. Rejoice, therefore, O universe, when you hear, and glorify with the angels and the shepherds him who shall appear by his own will as a new babe, being God before the ages.

CALENDAR

Sunday, December 14 (Sunday of the Forefathers)

8:50 a.m. — Orthros

9:00 a.m. — Christian Education

10:00 a.m. — Divine Liturgy

5:30 p.m. — Youth Group

Monday, December 15 (Hieromartyr Eleftherios)

Office Closed — Father John’s Day Off

Tuesday, December 16

6:00 a.m. — Daily Orthros

Wednesday, December 17

6:30 p.m. — Advent Paraklesis

Thursday, December 18

Friday, December 19

Saturday, December 20 (Ignatios of Antioch, the God-bearer)

5:45 p.m. — Ninth Hour followed by Great Vespers

Sunday, December 21 (Sunday before the Nativity of our Lord)

8:50 a.m. — Orthros

9:00 a.m. — Christian Education

10:00 a.m. — Divine Liturgy

5:00 p.m. — Young Adults

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

Eucharist Bread …was offered by the Katools for the Divine Liturgy today.

(Feast of the Circumcision of our Lord and the Feastday of St. Basil the Great)

Schedule for Epistle Readers – Page numbers refer to the Apostolos (book of the Epistles) located on the front pew. Please be sure to use this book when you read.

ReaderReadingPage#

December 14 Phillip Lasseter Col. 3:4-11 233

December 21 Kh. Be’Be’ Schelver Heb. 11:9-10, 17-23, 32-40 348

December 24 Tom Skirtech Gal. 4:4-7 351

December 28 David Turner Gal. 1:11-19 188

Please be reminded of the following:

Be very careful with the Blessed Bread when you take it after communion. Because this bread has been blessed, we should take care not to let crumbs fall on the floor. Parents, especially, please help your children to choose a small piece and treat it carefully.

Also, at the end of the liturgy, maintain a prayerful disposition during the veneration of the cross as the prayers of thanksgiving after communion are still underway. Please exchange your greetings with each other in the Fellowship Hall during Coffee Hour.

Walt and Charlotte Wood and their family; Tom and Jennifer Skirtech and their family; Tom and Kathy Willingham; Athena and Anthony Zouboukos and their family.

Please continue to pray for the health of His Grace, Bishop ANTOUN.

Please be reminded that the Sacristy/Vestry which is adjacent to and behind the altar in our church is considered by the Orthodox Church to be part of the Sanctuary (Altar area) and should not be entered without the blessing of the priest for a specific purpose. If you need to speak with a member of the clergy while they are in the Sanctuary, please ask them to come to you in the nave.

Continue to pray for Metropolitan Paul (who is also the brother of our Patriarch) and the Syriac Archbishop John of Aleppo who were abducted while on a humanitarian mission in Syria.

This is Choir and Chanter Appreciation Day in our Archdiocese. Today we honor those who sing and chant at St. Peter’s. Without their faithful and diligent service, our worship of the Holy Trinity would be severely hindered. We do appreciate their labors of love for God and His people. May God grant them Many Years!

Calendar Items:

* The Men of the parish meet for lunch and fellowship on the first Thursday of the month.

* The Ladies of St. Peter will meet at 10:00 a.m. on the second Saturday of each month to pray the Akathist to the Mother of God, Nurturer of Children. Those who are able will go out for lunch and fellowship afterwards.

* As is our parish custom, we will celebrate the Advent Paraklesis service to the Theotokos in place of Daily Vespers on Wednesday evenings, beginning November 19th, at 6:30 p.m.

* The Christian Education classes will present a special program during Coffee Hour on Sunday, December 14th.

* The Feast of the Nativity of our Lord will be celebrated with Royal Hours on Wednesday, December 24th, beginning at 7:00 a.m. Orthros and Divine Liturgy will be celebrated that night, beginning at 10:00 p.m.

* Dr. Christopher Veniamin, Professor of Patristics at St. Tikhon Seminary will be speaking at St. Peter’s February 1-4, 2015.

Young Adults Study Group: The Young Adults agreed to begin meeting twice a month. One of these meetings will feature a teaching by Fr. John on various aspects of the Orthodox Christian faith. Topics will include education, ethics and parenting children. The next meetings will be Sunday, December 21st and January 4th and 25th.

Fasting Discipline for December

Beginning November 15th, the first day of the Nativity Fast, the traditional fasting (no meat, dairy, eggs, fish, wine or oil) is observed each day of the week. Note, however, through December 19th there is a katlysis on Tuesdays and Thursdays when wine and oil are permitted, and on Saturdays and Sundays when fish, wine and oil are permitted. There is no fasting from December 25th through January 4th.

Major Commemorations for December

December 15 Hieromartyr Eleutherios

December 20 God-bearer Ignatius of Antioch

December 25 Nativity of our Lord

December 26 Synaxis of the Theotokos

December 27 Protomartyr Stephen

Lower Mississippi Valley Teen Retreat: The Teen Retreat will be February 13-15, 2015 at Roosevelt State Park. The speaker for the retreat will be Heiromonk Benedict (Josuah Armitage). His topic will be “Dealing with Doubts about God.” We are very excited to have Fr. Benedict come to address this important topic with our teens! Be sure to mark your calendars now.

Dr. Christopher Veniamin, Professor of Patristics at St. Tikhon Seminary in South Canaan, Pennsylvania, will visit St. Peter’s February 1-4, 2015. He will speak at our church on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings at 7:00 p.m. His topic will be “The Orthodox Understanding of Salvation.” We are priviledged to have a man of Dr. Veniamin’s stature with us. This promises to be a most edifying and instructive time for our church. Please put these dates on your calendar and plan to be here.

Parents, please supervise your children with food in the Fellowship Hall. We are getting stains on the new carpet (and also the chairs in the nave).

Happy Birthdays in December:

December 1 — Christina Katool

December 3 — Stephanie Baker

— Athena Zouboukos

December 4 — Brenda Baker

December 8 — Ben Brock

— Sam Habeeb

— Michael Surratt

December 11 — Sh. Charlotte Algood

December 12 — Jenna Skirtech

December 13 — Carrie Henderson

December 20 — Steve Chamblee

December 21 — Caroline Halley

December 27 — Ben Skirtech

— Warren Strain

— Nicholas Zouboukos (#15!)

— Eli Milnor (#2!)

December 28 — Sheryl Chamblee

Happy Anniversaries in December:

December 21 — Fr. John and Kh. Janet Henderson (#40!)

Suggestions on use of the Cry Room:

— Please remember you’re in liturgy when you’re in the cry room.

— Its main purpose should be a place for parents to take their children if they’re being disruptive during liturgy, staying for 5-10 minutes (or until the child is calmed down) and then returning to liturgy.

— It should not be used as a main sitting area during the liturgy.

— Children should not be eating snacks or watching electronic devices while in the cry room.

Thermostats in the Fellowship Hall: There are two thermostats in the Fellowship Hall—one in the main room to control the air in the main room, and a second one in the Nursery room that controls the air in all four of the Sunday School rooms. Please be sure when you leave the building that both thermostats are set to 80 degrees in warm weather or 60 degrees in cold weather.

Quotable: “To pray is quite straightforward. Stand with the mind in the heart before the face of the Lord and cry: ‘Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy upon me,’ or just: ‘Lord have mercy,’ ‘Most merciful Lord, have mercy upon me, a sinner’ – or with any other words. The power is not in the words, but in the thoughts and feelings.”

St. Theophan the Recluse

from The Art of Prayer compiled by Igumen Chariton of Valamo

Worship: Sunday, December 21, 2014 (Sunday before the Nativty of our Lord)

Ephesians 5:8-19: St Paul exhorts us to walk as wise men by doing the will of God and avoiding the deeds of darkness.

Luke 13:10-17: By healing a woman held in bondage to an illness for eighteen years, our Lord dem­onstrates that the Law does not prohibit righteous action on the Sabbath.

Troparion of the Resurrection: The stone being sealed by the Jews, and thy pure body being guarded by the soldiers, thou didst arise on the third day, O Saviour, granting life to the world. Wherefore, the heavenly powers acclaimed thee, O Giver of life, crying, Glory to thy Resurrection, O Christ! Glory to thy kingdom! Glory to thy gracious providence, O only Lover of mankind.

Troparion of the Chains of St. Peter: O Holy Apostle, Peter, thou dost preside over the Apostles by the precious chains which thou didst bear. We venerate them with faith and beseech thee that by thine intercessions we be granted the great mercy.

Kontakion Preparatory for Nativity: Today the Virgin comes unto the cave to give birth in an ineffable manner to the Word before the ages. Rejoice, therefore, O universe, when you hear, and glorify with the angels and the shepherds him who shall appear by his own will as a new babe, being God before the ages.

(Feast of the Circumcision of our Lord and the Feastday of St. Basil the Great)

Schedule for Epistle Readers – Page numbers refer to the Apostolos (book of the Epistles) located on the front pew. Please be sure to use this book when you read.

ReaderReadingPage#

December 7 Mildred Morris Eph. 5:8-19 217

December 14 Phillip Lasseter Col. 3:4-11 233

December 21 Kh. Be’Be’ Schelver Heb. 11:9-10, 17-23, 32-40 348

December 24 Tom Skirtech Gal. 4:4-7 351

December 28 David Turner Gal. 1:11-19 188

Please be reminded of the following:

Be very careful with the Blessed Bread when you take it after communion. Because this bread has been blessed, we should take care not to let crumbs fall on the floor. Parents, especially, please help your children to choose a small piece and treat it carefully.

Also, at the end of the liturgy, maintain a prayerful disposition during the veneration of the cross as the prayers of thanksgiving after communion are still underway. Please exchange your greetings with each other in the Fellowship Hall during Coffee Hour.

Walt and Charlotte Wood and their family; Tom and Jennifer Skirtech and their family; Tom and Kathy Willingham; Athena and Anthony Zouboukos and their family.

Please continue to pray for the health of His Grace, Bishop ANTOUN.

Please be reminded that the Sacristy/Vestry which is adjacent to and behind the altar in our church is considered by the Orthodox Church to be part of the Sanctuary (Altar area) and should not be entered without the blessing of the priest for a specific purpose. If you need to speak with a member of the clergy while they are in the Sanctuary, please ask them to come to you in the nave.

Calendar Items:

* The Men of the parish meet for lunch and fellowship on the first Thursday of the month.

* The Ladies of St. Peter will meet at 10:00 a.m. on the second Saturday of each month to pray the Akathist to the Mother of God, Nurturer of Children. Those who are able will go out for lunch and fellowship afterwards.

* As is our parish custom, we will celebrate the Advent Paraklesis service to the Theotokos in place of Daily Vespers on Wednesday evenings, beginning November 19th, at 6:30 p.m.

* The Christian Education classes will present a special program during Coffee Hour on Sunday, December 14th.

* Dr. Christopher Veniamin, Professor of Patristics at St. Tikhon Seminary will be speaking at St. Peter’s February 1-4, 2015.

Young Adults Study Group: The Young Adults agreed to begin meeting twice a month. One of these meetings will feature a teaching by Fr. John on various aspects of the Orthodox Christian faith. Topics will include education, ethics and parenting children. The next meetings will be Sunday, December 7th and 21st.

Lower Mississippi Valley Teen Retreat: The Teen Retreat will be February 13-15, 2015 at Roosevelt State Park. The speaker for the retreat will be Heiromonk Benedict (Josuah Armitage). His topic will be “Dealing with Doubts about God.” We are very excited to have Fr. Benedict come to address this important topic with our teens! Be sure to mark your calendars now.

Fasting Discipline for December

Beginning November 15th, the first day of the Nativity Fast, the traditional fasting (no meat, dairy, eggs, fish, wine or oil) is observed each day of the week. Note, however, through December 19th there is a katlysis on Tuesdays and Thursdays when wine and oil are permitted, and on Saturdays and Sundays when fish, wine and oil are permitted. There is no fasting from December 25th through January 4th.

Major Commemorations for December

December 9 Conception of the Theotokos

December 12 Spyridon the Wonder-worker

December 15 Hieromartyr Eleutherios

December 20 God-bearer Ignatius of Antioch

December 25 Nativity of our Lord

December 26 Synaxis of the Theotokos

December 27 Protomartyr Stephen

Parents, please supervise your children with food in the Fellowship Hall. We are getting stains on the new carpet (and also the chairs in the nave).

Happy Birthdays in December:

December 1 — Christina Katool

December 3 — Stephanie Baker

— Athena Zouboukos

December 4 — Brenda Baker

December 8 — Ben Brock

— Sam Habeeb

— Michael Surratt

December 11 — Sh. Charlotte Algood

December 12 — Jenna Skirtech

December 20 — Steve Chamblee

December 21 — Caroline Halley

December 27 — Ben Skirtech

— Warren Strain

— Nicholas Zouboukos (#15!)

— Eli Milnor (#2!)

December 28 — Sheryl Chamblee

Happy Anniversaries in December:

December 21 — Fr. John and Kh. Janet Henderson (#40!)

Dr. Christopher Veniamin, Professor of Patristics at St. Tikhon Seminary in South Canaan, Pennsylvania, will visit St. Peter’s February 1-4, 2015. He will speak at our church on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings at 7:00 p.m. His topic will be “The Orthodox Understanding of Salvation.” We are priviledged to have a man of Dr. Veniamin’s stature with us. This promises to be a most edifying and instructive time for our church. Please put these dates on your calendar and plan to be here.

Thermostats in the Fellowship Hall: There are two thermostats in the Fellowship Hall—one in the main room to control the air in the main room, and a second one in the Nursery room that controls the air in all four of the Sunday School rooms. Please be sure when you leave the building that both thermostats are set to 80 degrees in warm weather or 60 degrees in cold weather.

Suggestions on use of the Cry Room:

— Please remember you’re in liturgy when you’re in the cry room.

— Its main purpose should be a place for parents to take their children if they’re being disruptive during liturgy, staying for 5-10 minutes (or until the child is calmed down) and then returning to liturgy.

— It should not be used as a main sitting area during the liturgy.

— Children should not be eating snacks or watching electronic devices while in the cry room.

Quotable: “‘Which is better: to pray with the lips or with the mind?’ The answer is that we must use both forms: pray sometimes in words, sometimes with the mind. But it is necessary to explain here that mental prayer also involves the use of words which in this case are not heard, but are only pronounced within the heart. It is better put in this way: Pray sometimes with sounding words, and sometimes inaudibly with words that are soundless. But it is necessary to take care that both sounding and soundless prayer should come from the heart.”